Thursday Thirteen - 166 - 13 Blogger Spotlights

A few Thursday Thirteen's ago, my fellow Weekend Writer's Retreat blogger Alice Audrey (who writes the serialized story Suzie's House) showcased thirteen bloggers she likes to visit - which I thought was a marvey idea.

So I'm stealing - er, running with that bit of inspiration - and here are thirteen bloggers from my blogroll.

These are all bloggers which draw me back again and again. Some of them I've been blogging with for years. Some are brand new to me. All are delightful.





1 - Apprentice Writer

Maya Missani is a budding comedy writer marking milestones on the road to dropping the 'apprentice' portion of her name. Posting from the Toronto area, she writes book reviews which include comments on the cover art, posts in-depth author interviews and shares hilarious visual humor in the name of mental health.








2 - Around the Island

Robin blogs from just outside Tel Aviv in Israel, the originator of the Sunday photography meme, Summer Stock Sunday. She sells her fine art photography on Etsy, and shares incredible glimpses of life in a country that shimmers with the energies of today and its ancient yesterdays.





3 - Art Predator

Gwendolyn Alley is a published poet from California and an exhibiting artist. She's a returning participant of the Burning Man festival, and is an environmental and social activist.





4 - Elephant Small

Stan Ski has a poetry blog, which I found through Poetry Train Monday. He posted new work without fail for the month of April (National Poetry Writing Month challenge.) He began life in England but now has a family in Thailand, and shares some of his everyday moments along with his highly-accomplished poetry.





5 - Everything and Nothing

Akelamalu blogs from Lancashire, England, where depending on her mood, she may tell us everything, or she may tell us nothing. She travels widely and always takes us along, and is an expert at crafting short, twisty tales.










6 - In The Midst of This Season

Toni is a homeschooling mom of four who blogs from Indiana. Her liquids-spurting-through-nose-inducing humour portrays the anything-but-ordinary lives of herself and her family. She remains ever watchful for those daily blessings that help her to view her cup as half full.







7 - Ire...

Nikita Banerjee blogs from Mumbai in India, posting photography, short fiction and lately the path leading to her upcoming wedding. Keep in mind - Nocturnal Mire. You Mess With Her. You Perish In Her Ire.




8 - Janet's Journal

Janet Corcoran is a new addition to my writer's group here in Nova Scotia. A Real Life friend as well as a Blog Buddy! She posts serialized humorous romantic suspense for the Weekend Writer's Retreat, shares the highs and lows of the writing life and calls us People of Blogland.








9 - Ma Vie Folle

Sheila's Crazy Life chronicles family shenanigans with a wry sense of that’s okay because that’s what life is all about…and if you can’t laugh at yourself then you’re in trouble!






10 - Romance Bandits

The Romance Bandits are a collection of 20 romance writers who turn every blog post into a party once it hits the comments section.





11 - Sans Pantaloons

Andy blogs from Aulde Scotia where he works on new sources of income and hopes someday to grow up and become a useful adult. A self-described curmudgeon, his irreverent humour appears as remarkable photoshopped jokes. I've followed his development as a graphic artist with admiration, especially his obsession with the rose imagery of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.









12 - The Gathering Nest

Debby blogs from Ontario, where she creates incredible collage art, both 3-D and digital versions. She posts photos of all the vintage material she gathers to make her creations, as well as the pieces she swaps with other art bloggers.






13 - Trav's Thoughts

So here's the thing, Travis' blog header says. I have thoughts and I'm sharing them. Travis' previous header reminded everyone that Diversity need not be divisive. The originator of the 5 on Friday music meme, he also writes passionately from the Pacific Northwest about dance shows, shares outstanding poetry, composes moving tributes to those who pass to the Other Side, and fills us in on military history with a sense of immediacy and always with humanity.

Colleen says I'll be sure to check out a few. Thanks!

Kim Richardson says Thanks for sharing these, Julia! They sound really interesting!

Jehara says I can see why you read all these blogs regularly. They all sound lovely. I am off to check them out now.

6 Unimportant Things That Make Me Happy Meme

Here is how it works. I mention the person who tagged me:

Akelamalu at Everything and Nothing

List 6 unimportant things that make me happy.

After that, tag 6 more bloggers. So without further ado:


6 Unimportant Things That Make Me Happy



1 - If I can get the back corner seat of the bus, where I can brace my feet on the little crossbar that supports the long sideways seats, I'm good.
























2 - Working two overtime hours and logging a page count that equals half an entire's day's regular page count. Time without interruptions = a heck of a lot more work getting done. Overtime. Gotta love it.




3 - Noticing how much faster I can type, and that I'm actually making typos because I don't always need to look at the keyboard. Thanks to my best friend Connie and her insistence on Mavis Beacon Typing Tutor.




4 - Getting an urge to watch something on YouTube and being able to do just that, now that my newly-souped-up computer has the upgraded Flashplayer.

Here's some video with no audio of the Russian tall ship Kruzenshtern. She first visited Halifax in 1984, and my sister and I made friends with several sailors aboard this awesome 4-masted barque. It was before the Iron Curtain fell, so that was not easy! But we were determined.

More about this romantic tale when the ships start arriving in the harbour, July 16th - 20th.

The Kruzenshtern returns to the port of Halifax in a few weeks for Tall Ships 2009!!! (I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.)







5 - Gazing at the collages I've made for three of my WIP's.






This one is for my gardener-transported-to-Van-Diemen's-Land story.





6 - Realizing my next Earned Day Off from work is the day before my 17th wedding anniversary. Sweet.













Now - to tag six people.

Hmm...

A-tagging I will go, a-tagging I will go...

Dorte H
Jill
Kim
Lindsay
Sans Pantaloons
Susan

Akelamalu says Thanks for playing along and I like your six unimportant things. :)

Tikno says Sometime little things can makes us feel comfortable.

Sans says I shall do my best.

Welcome! Welcome to Julia's Fantastical and Phenomenal Awards Spectacular

Gather round, come in! Come in! I know it's starting to warm up and the birds are starting to sing, but we've got an awards show to get to. Let's stop for a second and let the paparazzi get their shots - better the red carpet ones than the up-the-nose ones through the windows of the limosine. Don't you hate those?













Let's go in, let's go in. Okay - let's check our tickets. Main orchestra, center. Ooo - great seats! Oh, I'm a little bit nervous. I know, I know, I don't look it. But I just need to take a deep breath. I really don't like getting up in front of people and speaking. Blogging - yes! Public speaking - *knees knocking*











The lights are going down to a quarter. We'd better get to our seats. Okay. The curtains open. Akelamalu strides onstage.

She's handing out the You Stand Out From the Crowd Award.

















"Our concern must be to live while we're alive. To release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a facade."

- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

"This award is free to go to anyone whom the award recipient chooses," says Akelamalu. "For any reason!"

Oh, boy - time to head up onstage. Thank you, Akelamalu! ((hug)) I'm so pleased to receive this. You know, I've never been one to be shy about my individual nature. So this award means a lot to me. I'll be passing this along to other uncommonly distictive bloggers at the end of the ceremony.

Coming from you - whose blog Everything and Nothing always delivers on the first and completely lacks in the second - makes this award even more delightful. Though you don't think of yourself as a writer of anything other than your blog, your Friday Flash Fiction never ceases to blow me away. And your Saturday Wordzzles always take readers on a twisty journey of compact and accomplished writing. An average of 30 daily commenters can't be wrong!

Let's welcome Louise now, who's presenting the Let's Be Friends Award.










"She is a friend of mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It's good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind."

- Toni Morrison

Louise invites VaBookworm from Confessions of a Bookworm to join her at the podium.

"This award goes to blogs which are exceedingly charming," Louise says. "VaBookworm, you're a perfect example. Your blog aims to find and be friends with other bloggers. And it's where Julia gets her fix of sword-swinging by watching your avatar."

"Louise," VaBookworm says, laughing. "You're a perfect example of a blogger not interested in self-aggrandizement. This award hopes that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships will be propagated. Think of who you've already met through the Blog Improvement Project."

"Stop it," Louise says. "Julia - get up here already!"

((hugging Louise and VaBookworm)) Louise! Thank you so much. Your Lous_Pages is a place to lose oneself in your Egyptology feature, your abundant book reviews and your intriguing Wordless Wednesday posts. I also love your Weekly Geeks participation (a theme-inspired prompt) and Tuesday Teasers which gives us a peek at what you're reading.

And VaBookworm, your frank confessions of weirdness only endear you to all your readers. Because we spazz, too - over all the same stuff. At least you have an actual British longbow that you can shoot in your backyard while listening to Robin Hood or Braveheart soundtracks. I just write about sword swingers. I don't have a sword of my own...Yet.










"Help one another, is part of the religion of sisterhood."

- Louisa May Alcott

Dorte H now takes the stage. "I'm here to present the Sisterhood Award. I met Julia through my fellow Danish blogger, Louise. I feel we share the same sort of attitude and gratitude about the world. So come on up, Julia."

Here's a ((hug)) for Dorte H. One of the first things I remarked upon when I visited DJs Krimiblog were her beautiful tins which she used as a header for her Bait in the Box feature. 'Hidden' in the tins are excerpt clues from crime fiction, which she uses to encourage readers to guess the books they come from. I shared my collection of tins with her which she's now using for Bait in the Box, along with other submissions from sister bloggers. The beauty of our blogging sisterhood is the closeness we can share, even when one of us is in Denmark and the other in Canada.

VaBookworm takes the stage one more time.











"It's amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions."

- Charles F. Kettering

"The Uber Amazing Blog Award goes to bloggers who inspire you, make you smile and laugh, give amazing information, are a great read, has an amazing design, and any other reason you can think of that makes them uber amazing. Julia - come back out so I can give you this enormous pink bow award!"

One more ((hug)) to you, VaBookworm. Oh, my. I'm really touched - really. I enjoy blogging so much because of the creative outlet it gives me, because it's a way to share ideas with other bloggers and with readers who don't blog but who stop by and read. But most of all, I enjoy blogging because I've met so many wonderful, marvellous blogging friends. Thank you - all of you - for making this blog one of the happiest parts of my day.

Now, because this is a multi-awards presentation, I won't keep to the suggested amounts for passing them along. Most of them request 5 or 7 recipients. For this event, however, I'll keep all awards to 2 nominations each, except for the Let's Be Friends Award, since I received it twice - I'll pass along 4 of those.

The You Stand Out From the Crowd Award goes to:

Apprentice Writer
Travis

The Let's Be Friends Award goes to:

Bobbi
Heather
Nikita
Robin

The Sisterhood Award goes to:

The women at Romance Bandits
My fellow bloggers at Popculturedivas

The Uber Amazing Blog Award goes to:

Daily Mish Mash
Kim

Tagged! - I'm It! - 36

Akelamalu tagged me for The Bookworm Meme. Here's how it all works:

Rules: Pass it on to five other bloggers.
Tell them to open the nearest book to page 46.
Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences.

The closest book, not the coolest, or the one you think will sound the best.
THE CLOSEST.


As it happens, the closest book to me is the one I'm currently finishing - Broken Wing by Judith James.

Judith is one of my chapter mates from Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada. I've spent many a lunch-before-the-monthly-meeting sitting across the table from her, engrossed in conversation. She was at the writers retreat this year. If you follow the link, that's Judith sitting across from me at the dinner, wearing a black shirt.

I knew from talking to Judith that her story would be just the kind of book I long for.

Here is some of the buzz she's generating online:

"Every so often, if you're lucky, you will read a book that you can't stop thinking about; that you obsess over, that you wish would never end but you rush through it to get to it. And then you want to read it all over again. Such is the case with Broken Wing.

What makes this book so good? The hero is phenomenal. When we talk tortured, he is the ideal example!! I ached - just ached for him." - DK Thain, Amazon user comments

Romantic Times gives Judith's debut novel 4 1/2 stars:

"This emotional, well-written novel has characters that are far from conventional; they're complex, heartbreaking and endearing. Readers will be enthralled by the developing relationship between the protagonists and their passion."

I'll be doing a book review of Broken Wing for next week's Thursday Thirteen. And now - on to the meme.

Turning to page 46. Counting down to the 5th sentence.

It's just past the French Revolution and before the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. Sarah, Lady Munroe has returned to her English country house after collecting her younger brother from the clutches of a French house of extremely ill repute. Accompanying his young friend - the only friend he's ever known - is Gabriel, the deliciously handsome, exceedingly skilled prostitute who saved the young boy from Gabriel's own fate. And here's the excerpt:

"She gasped in delight and imagined herself in a magnificent, celestial ballroom. Lost in fancy, she began to sway to a haunting otherwordly melody that hung in the air, enticing, entrancing and magical. Fairy music, Davey would call it. Her reverie was broken with a start as she realized the music, faint and delicate, was real.

Hastily donning a nightgown and a wrapper, she started down the stairs."

- Judith James, 2008

Now, a-tagging I will go, a-tagging I will go:

Apprentice Writer
Christine Wells
Heather
Mimi Lenox
Travis

The Purse Meme

I was tagged by the globe-trotting Akelamalu for The Purse Meme and proceeded to laugh and laugh and laugh. You'll find out why soon enough.

Here are the rules. Find a safe quiet place free of significant others, nosey meme makers, priests, nuns, all things religious and men in general. (If you're a guy just reverse this process to female and tell us about your wallet, tool box, briefcase or metro sexual accessory.)

1.. Dump the contents of your purse in a pile
2. Take a photo of your purse and the contents
3. Be brave and 'splain to your fellow bloggers what lurks inside the purse.


There is a method to my madness.


I dare you to find a story in the pile.


4. Tag others who might want to embarrass themselves

5. Answer these questions:
Describe the contents of your purse.
What's the most important thing in your purse?
What's the most embarrassing thing in your purse?
What's the smallest thing in your purse?
Is there anything illegal in your purse?

The Purse Meme was started by Mimi, Queen of Memes. She thinks up brilliant memes.

Here is my purse:














It's an Etienne Aigner purse which my gram got in Virginia, where my late Aunt Sheila lived. I love using it because it was Gram's purse.



To answer the meme questions:

What's the most important thing in your purse?


That's easy. My asthma puffers and my acetaminophen with codeine.

What's the most embarrassing thing in your purse?

The old gum wrapped up in paper, waiting to be thrown out.

What's the smallest thing in your purse?

One half of my broken jade ring. It broke just as the end credits for Wanted started up. I loved that film so much, I brought my hand down hard on the armrest of my seat and pow. No more jade ring.

Is there anything illegal in your purse?

Nothing illegal - I'm too much of a straight arrow for that.

Describe the contents of your purse.

Alright - get your cup of tea or a coffee, sit back and we'll delve into the mysteries of all that I haul around with me in my purse.

Starting with the red wallet at the top center, and going clockwise around the edge:

My red Cadillac of wallets, which I bought on Yonge St. in Toronto when I was there last October. I purposely bought a red wallet for feng shui, because red energizes one's finances. I told my mom to get one, too, and Mom bought my sister a red wallet for Christmas. So far so good with that!

Next is a pile of receipts.

The black case holds my camera, but of course I don't always carry the camera around. Often enough, though.

Leftover M&M's from work. Took them home for the weekend.

My week's worth of pills - blood pressure and vitamins.

My painkillers.

My two asthma puffers.

Dental floss.

Assorted scraps of paper and old gum.

Richard Armitage's numerology. I do numerology. He's the actor I'm basing my character Scorpius on.

The program for my co-worker's father's funeral, from a few weeks ago. I attended with two other women from my agency services team.

A notebook which currently contains the story I'm working on about Scorpius.

A grid where I'm working out a series of future Thursday Thirteens featuring things that start with each letter of the alphabet.

A poem I've started.

A menu from the Lotus Garden, where Brad and I went for our 16th anniversary dinner in July.

A phone bill and my new Blue Cross info.

Sundry larger receipts from the vet, the kennel and the Yarmouth Comfort Inn.

A thank you card from my writers' group for doing a talk. I did a session on screenwriting which featured Sense and Sensibility. There's a Chapters gift card in there!

Several Empire Theatres gift cards - my husband and I get a lot of those at Christmas. Because we love films.

Assorted napkins from restaurants. If I have any left over after I'm finished eating, I stuff them in my purse.

Now, moving down from my wallet:

2 packs of gum.

My blue comb-y brush.

A loose penny.

My lip balm.

2 pens.

Part of my jade ring.

My security pass for work.

2 keys for my cabinets at work.

Key to the washroom at work.

Key to the filing room at work.

My bus pass.


I dare you to find a story in the pile.

This purse holds a thousand stories. Everything I lay eyes on tells its story.

The red wallet story is a story of hope and of optimism. It's the tale of intention, of purposely seeking to change my financial circumstances by taking symbolic action. It's also the tale of a woman who test-drove two wallets, imagining how it would be to get the change from the zippered pockets. I stood in the store opening and closing the two wallets I liked best, probably about 20 times. The problem was, the red alligator-skin wallet I really liked didn't have a very big change section. The wallet I bought has three sections for pennies, loonies and toonies, and silver coins. Paying with correct change is a breeze.

The broken jade ring story is the second chapter of this tale. I bought the jade ring in Toronto on that same trip. Jade creates a positive attitude toward money and protects against misfortune. I wore it on the middle finger of my right hand, thinking 'money in' each time I put it on, the middle finger being the wealth finger. This is another feng shui practice which I like for its intention qualities. The ring broke on the same day I signed my papers, becoming a permanent provincial government employee at long last. I immediately took that to mean I didn't have to worry so much about money, as I had been doing for the past decade.

The third chapter of this tale is the story of the medication and the Blue Cross coverage. Now my medication is spectacularly paid for through work, and I no longer have to let prescriptions run out until my next cheque. *cue the fireworks and trumpets*

I hope you've enjoyed this journey into my purse. I did - it reminded me to ditch a few things, once I had them out.

Now, a-tagging I will go, a-tagging I will go...

Annette
Dorothy
East Coast Life
Heather
Jennifer
Karina
Tempest
Wylie

Book Meme

Akelamalu opened this meme up to all takers, so I grabbed it.

Here are the rules:
1. Grab the nearest book of 123 pages or more.
2. Open it to page 123.
3. Find the first 5 sentences and write them down.
4. Then invite 5 friends to do the same.






I'm currently reading Sergei Lukyanenko's book The Night Watch, translated into English by Andrew Bromfield.







My husband bought three of this series for me while he was in Toronto at Bakka-Phoenix Books, a marvellous independent sci-fi / fantasy bookstore on Queen Street West. The lovely and talented manager of the bookstore is none other than Chris Szego, my sister's former roommate when we all lived in Toronto once upon a time.

Whenever I'm in Toronto I head over to the store to see Chris. As in this picture from last October, when my sister was sworn to secrecy so Brad and I could just walk into the store like any old customers and - surprise!


And luckily she often visits my sister once a year, so we get to enjoy her down east, too. Here's a picture from an afternoon spent at Clam Harbour Beach a few years ago - that's me, Chris and my sister Michelle.

Anyhoo, she loaded my husband's arms with the first three of Lukyanenko's series, which includes a fourth book, Final Watch that I don't have...yet...

I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into this book. I first saw the Russian film Night Watch, based on Lukyanenko's book, in 2006 at the theatre here in Halifax, though its Russian domestic release was in 2004. I absolutely adored this film. A blurb on the book cover says 'Brace yourself for Harry Potter in Gorky Park.' (Washington Post) I'd say it's also safe to call it The Matrix meets Anton the Vampire Slayer in Putin's Moscow.

Here's the back cover blurb to get you up to speed for the mini-excerpt:

"Walking the streets of Moscow, indistinguishable from the rest of its population, are the Others. Each owes allegiance to either the Dark or the Light, two powerful forces that long ago forged an uneasy truce in order to avert chaos and disaster. They watch each other closely, carefully maintaining the world's precarious balance between good and evil.

Anton, a young Other of the Light, is a Night Watch agent who patrols the streets and subways of the city, protecting ordinary people from the agents - including vampires - of the Dark. On his rounds, Anton comes across a young woman, Svetlana, who is under a powerful curse that threatens to destroy the city, and a boy, Egor, an Other still unaware of his powers, whom Anton narrowly saves from the vampires of the Dark.

Anton and his partner, Olga, a powerful female Other who has been turned into an owl as punishment, work frantically with their Night Watch colleagues - each gifted with their own particular powers - to deflect Svetlana's curse and to protect Egor from the creatures that pursue him."

Now here's the meme excerpt:

Page 123

"You're linked to her."

"What?"

The boss sighed and took the hookah tube from his mouth. The cold opium smoke streamed out onto the floor.

"You, Anton Gorodetsky, a programmer, unmarried, of average abilities, are linked to the girl with that vile black filth hanging over her head."

- Sergei Lukyanenko, 1998

And now...a-tagging I will go, a-tagging I will go...

Amy Ruttan, Apprentice Writer, Kelly Boyce, Red Garnier, Thomma Lyn

Birth Month Traits Meme

Akelamalu opened this up for anyone who wants to do it. I so enjoyed reading all of her comments about herself, and I know she's dying to read other bloggers' comments about themselves, so who am I to deny Akelamalu anything? Especially since she's been sending me good energy for the past while, when I've needed it so much.

Thanks also to all of you who have sent prayers and positive energy my way. It really has helped so much. ((HUGS))

On to the meme:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth (see below).
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

Okay, let's see now. I'm a Scorpio, born in November. How do I stack up against the traits of November people?

Has a lot of ideas. Extraordinary ideas. Always thinking. Sharp thinking. I've generally got my various story ideas playing in my head, like a tv always on in a room. On top of that, I've got the Julia music channel playing music at all times in my head, as well. So in computer lingo, I've got two creative windows open and running at all times. And another window generally runs rather philosophic observations and questions. Then I operate in the real world somehow. I find that last one the hardest to keep up. My thoughts tend more to ruminating on the spiritual growth that comes from suffering rather than 'should I get my hair cut'.

Difficult to fathom. My mom would agree to this one in a nanosecond. Even my husband, who is a Scorpio as well and difficult to fathom himself sometimes, would agree. I think... The one person who never seems thrown for a loop is my best friend Connie. Probably why we've been best friends for 35 years.

Thinks forward. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Being able to foresee things a little ahead is like having Jedi senses. Helps when looking after small children, a bipolar husband or shooting a film. Also very convenient to be married to another Scorpio who reads my mind like I read his. Reduces arguments like you wouldn't believe.

Unique and brilliant. Thinks differently from others. Very necessary when in a creative field. One problem, though, is generally most of my ideas don't follow market trends...

Can become good doctors. I definitely have an inborn therapist ability, but doctoring the body is not for me. NOT good with thinking about the bio machine or bodily fluids. Though I have managed to hold basins for loved ones sick to their stomachs. (See 'where there's a will there's a way' below.)

Dynamic in personality. High-spirited. This really comes in handy when taking care of small children. It's like I'm the Pied Piper and kids will magically do whatever I need them to. Also essential when directing film. If what you're doing is insane, it helps when you can convince other people to do it with you.

Secretive. Unpredictable. Because this contradicts the honest/heart-on-sleeve aspect (see below) it seems bizarre that I could possibly be secretive. But I've been able to really surprise people more often than you'd think. I play my hand close to my chest, it seems, without being aware of it.

Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. I'm truly interested in just about everything (minus techno stuff - yawn.) Especially in people and what makes them tick. They sense that and open up to me. Like Akelamalu, I don't actually dig for secrets. People unburden themselves to me on an ongoing basis.

Less talkative but amiable. I can blab away with the best of them at times, but I also like to listen. Not sit impatiently waiting for my turn to talk next, but really listen to people. I have an insatiable appetite for insight into why people do things, and listening really feeds that.

Brave and generous. I'm brave about some things and phobic about other things. I'll confront a 6'4" rowdy teenager interrupting a dance performance, but I'm scared to call out on the phone. Generous, yes - I'm generous because I was given all I needed when I was growing up. I felt cared for, appreciated and cherished. I find people who were shortchanged in those areas try to make up for it later in life by graspy behaviour. And unfortunately it never fills the hole inside them.

Patient. If you look that up on Dictionary.com, you'll find my picture. And if it's not there, I'll wait until it shows up. Comes in handy when looking after small children, elderly grandmothers, attention deficit mothers, bipolar husbands, and for making films or writing books.

Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. The hard-hearted part only applies when it comes to those who have crossed the line with me. Once I've hit my internal 'delete' button, that's it for them. Stubborn, determined, etc. - it's gotten me this far, and I've had sheer cliffs to climb. No match for this chick.

Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Very true for me. I'm very mellow. Things that obviously bother a lot of other people don't really register for me. But of course some things make me infuriated. When that happens, I go from mellow to homicidal in one-tenth of a second. Lightening death rays fly out from my eyes, and if the person I'm looking at hasn't already slunk away by then, he soon wishes he had. It's a pretty wierd experience.

Loves to be alone. Amen, brother! I LOVE to be alone. I LOVE not having to talk to anyone, just to be alone with my million-and-one thoughts. I'm quite certain that solitary confinement wouldn't really get to me for about 6 months or so.

Motivates oneself. I'm one of those people that can delegate easily. Even to myself. There's so many things I want to do, my eagerness and enthusiasm is the motivator. I don't have a stick behind me, only a bushel of carrots in front of me.

Hardworking. Got to get all my projects done!

High abilities. Does not appreciate praises. The things I enjoy doing, I'm generally good at. There are some things I can squeak by with, and I don't enjoy that feeling at all. I much prefer the mastery stage. Not appreciating praise isn't really true for me. I can be a perfectionist in some things, and hard on myself in some things, but if I can see that I did a good job, I'll accept the praise.

Well-built and tough. Don't know how well-built I am, but I am tough. Stubborn and tough have definitely been my allies through life.

Deep love and emotions. Guilty as charged. I only know how to feel deeply. I have no shallow attachments. That's why it's hard when I miss loved ones who live far away from me. That's why I was present at the hospital for my dad, and just now for my gram and my father-in-law as they moved on from this life and passed to the other side. My love is a love to the end. To the last breath.

Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. People can sense this in me. That's why they tell me their most private feelings. They know I won't share it with anyone else. I'm the Anti-Gossip Girl.

Romantic. Is there someone more romantic than me? (looking around in suprise) I get very melty inside for such a brave, stubborn, tough chick.

Uncertain in relationships. This is one I don't relate to. I've only entered into relationships where I was certain of my partner's feelings for me. If I didn't feel that closeness, I skipped having a relationship altogether. Probably because I enjoy being alone.

Homely. LOL! I think this is meant in terms of the UK version, as in a homebody. Not 'homely' as in downright ugly... I can faithfully declare that yes, my homelife is precious to me. Though my physical home is far from a magazine spread - I'm the farthest thing from a Susie Homemaker you can get. It's my emotional homelife that's important to me. Hugs, time to listen, making sure everyone feels safe and loved - yes. Dusted, swept, put away - not so much.

Not able to control emotions. This is a personal goal of mine. As I head into my mid-forties, I so long to be able to refrain from crying if I'm out in public and something moves me. So far, not much luck with that.

Before we get to all the birth month traits, I guess I'll tag some people: Annette, Carrie, Darla, Gabriella, Jill, Karina, Leah, Lesley, Susan, Tinkerbell, Uberstrickenfrau, Wylie.

Birth Month Traits:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.


NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Spirit of Christmas Award

Ho! Ho! Ho! (clump clump of my boots, knocking the snow off them.) My Christmas Freak persona is never one to act the demure gentlewoman. I guess it was obvious to Toni at In The Midst of This Season that I basically divide the calendar year into Just After Christmas, Waiting For Christmas and CHRISTMAS.

Toni awarded me the Spirit of Christmas award. According to Santa's Community Blog, where this originated, "this award is for those who talk about and show the spirit of Christmas in their blogs.

What is the Spirit of Christmas you ask?

Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the 'Spirit of Christmas'."

I'm going to pass this award along to five other bloggers who have been just as freakish about Christmas as me. Is it a strange coincidence that they display kindness, generosity and a loving nature every day as they post on their blogs and leave wonderful comments in the blogosphere?

I really should have brought everyone's attention to Kailana's Advent Blog event before this, but luckily you can follow the links and immerse yourself in fantastic posts about Christmas all over the world. This has really been one of the highlights of my season this year. Big hug to you, Kailana!

Karina posted this lovely example of her overflowing Christmas Spirit. She expressed everything I feel about the holidays, too. Sure, it can be a bit 'stressmas'-y sometimes, but it's like everything else. It's up to you to step off the merrygoround if you're getting too dizzy from all the to-do's. Christmas should be merry, and if it's not, stop. Take a deep breath. Chill. The only thing anyone should be doing at this time of year is reconnecting with the spirit of peace and goodwill toward our fellow travellers through life.

Akelamalu posted her childhood Christmas memories on November 19th. Already in Christmas mode like a true Christmas Freak. Just have a look at her sidebar decorations if you don't believe me. She also held two Christmas Carol Quizzes which I missed because of everything going on with my gram. But being the stop-and-smell-the-roses person, I fret not over it. I just enjoyed seeing the answers and realized I would have been stumped!

Sandee posted 13 wonderfully wise quotes about Christmas for her Thursday Thirteen this week. She approaches life all year round with a wry sense of humor which shows in every blog post. Christmas gave her fantastic material to work with! She pokes fun at life taken too seriously, which gives anyone who visits her blog a chance to relax and have a laugh. Thank you for that, Sandee.

Finally, this post was a guest blog post over at Shelly Munro's month-long guest extravaganza, but it is vintage Christine d'Abo. And it followed my sequence of Christmas preparations exactly! Which made me howl with laughter and recognition.

Merry Christmas to all the Spirit of Christmas nominees with a special hug from me to you.

Merry Christmas to everyone - may you always feel the wonder of childhood every time you gaze at a lit and decorated Christmas tree. Peace to all.